Vandals deface makeshift memorial for Eurydice Dixon1:38

Fire crews have been forced to cleanup a makeshift memorial for murdered Melbourne woman Eurydice Dixon.
Vandals struck the site at Princes Park in Carlton's North during the early hours of this morning.
The act comes less than 24 hours before planned vigils to remember the much-loved aspiring comedian.

June 17th 2018

7 months ago

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In cities around Australia on Monday night, murdered Melbourne woman Eurydice Dixon will be remembered.Source:Supplied

EURYDICE Dixon was left alone to die in a cold, empty park after she was raped and murdered.

On Monday night, that same park is expected to be filled with thousands of people who were moved in some way by her tragic death.

The Reclaim Princes Park vigil could see as many as 30,000 people seated quietly on the grass at Carlton North not far from where a passer-by discovered Ms Dixon’s body last Wednesday morning.

The simple vigil will ask those in attendance to quietly reflect on the events of June 12 for 30 minutes from 5.30pm while the lights on the soccer pitch are turned off.

There are not expected to be any long speeches or protests. Organisers say it’s a peaceful vigil aiming to unite those grieving for Ms Dixon and reinforce the message that all women should be able to walk home safely.

A vigil will be held for Eurydice Dixon on Monday night.Source:News Corp Australia

On Facebook, organisers wrote: “We all should be able to walk home, whenever we want, wherever we want, and assume we will make it home safe.

“Our bodies are not there for taking. It is not up to us to keep ourselves safe when we know it’s up to men to choose not to inflict violence upon us.”

“It started as something small where we wanted to show our respect for her,” she said.

“Her family was clear they didn’t want it to be politicised and we didn’t want the talk around her death to lose the focus on her.”

Ms Bridger-Darling said she has received more than a thousand offers from volunteers keen to help, but she’s not surprised.

“Melbourne just rallies. We’re a bunch of small villages and if you hurt one of us, you hurt all of us. We all need a shoulder sometimes and we just wanted to offer as many shoulders as possible.”

Vigils are also being held in Victorian cities including Ballarat, Geelong and Warrnambool, as well as in Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart and Brisbane.

Households around Australia are also being encouraged to put a candle in their windows or pop on the porch light in memory of those like Ms Dixon who never made it home.

Flowers and notes have been left at Princes Park. Picture: Ellen Smith/AAPSource:AAP

A makeshift memorial for Ms Dixon was set up at Princes Park in the days after her murder. Flowers have been piling up ever since, alongside notes that read: “All women have the right to walk at night and be safe”, and: “I won’t forget your name”.

Jaymes Todd, 19, has been charged with Ms Dixon’s rape and murder. He briefly appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court last week and was remanded in custody ahead of his next court appearance in October.